Diplomatic Protest

Forest and Bird, Issue 299, 1 February 2001, Page 3

Diplomatic Protest

In his November column, Keith Chapple wrote that there are now other ways to achieve good environmental outcomes besides the protests of a generation ago, and warned us that too frequent protests are counterproductive. But we cannot think of any environmental protests or civil disobedience at present. If there is any, it certainly is not much. So what are his generalities hinting at? That we should try to ingratiate ourselves with business. We see no good environmental outcomes there. That we should reduce our RMA advocacy to be less ‘adversarial’? How will that help? Increased environmental awareness now, is to a considerable extent because of environmentalists’ past efforts. Certainly, let us be diplomatic, but there is still a long way to go. Now is not the time to reduce

our efforts. Lois Griffiths for Branch Committee, North Canterbury Forest and Bird

My comments were not that we should reduce our advocacy or efforts; simply that we should also grasp the opportunities presented by the modern political mood and greater environmental awareness in the community to work with others when appropriate. — Keith Chapple, national president.